All Biochemistry Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Regulating Protein Synthesis
Which of the following statements is false about the human genome?
Repeated sequences make up about 5% of the genome
There are about 20,000 proteins that are coded for by the genome
None of the other answers are false
The sequences which code for proteins make up about 2% of the genome
Paralogs are homologous gene sequences caused by duplication events within the genome
Repeated sequences make up about 5% of the genome
Scientists have indeed counted about 20,000 proteins coded for by the genome. Coding sequences are only about 2% or less of the genome. The definition of paralogs is genes related by duplication within a genome. Within the genome, not about 5%, but rather about 50%, of DNA sequences are repeated.
Example Question #2 : Regulating Protein Synthesis
Where does the pentose phosphate pathway primarily take place?
The cytosol of the liver
The mitochondria of the liver
The mitochondria of the kidney
The brush border of the small intestine
The cytosol of the liver
The pentose phosphate pathway (also known as the hexose monophosphate shunt or HMS), which mainly serves to produce for anabolic reduction reactions and ribose-5-phosphate for nucleic acid production, takes place in the cytosol of hepatic cells.
Example Question #3 : Anabolic Pathways And Synthesis
Which of the following amino acids can be created from the carbon skeleton of oxaloacetate?
Valine
Methionine
Histidine
Leucine
Glutamine
Methionine
From the carbon skeleton of oxaloacetate, methionine can be created. However, glutamine comes from alpha ketoglutarate, valine and leucine come from pyruvate, and histidine comes from ribose-5-phosphate.
Example Question #4 : Anabolic Pathways And Synthesis
Which of the following molecules is not necessary to create glutamate from alpha-ketoglutarate?
NADPH
ATP
Alpha-ketoglutarate
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
The reaction for the conversion of glutamine into glutamate is:
As seen in the reaction above, carbon dioxide is uninvolved.
Example Question #3 : Anabolic Pathways And Synthesis
Which of the following correctly lists the severity of damage done by mutations in DNA from most severe to least?
Nonsense, silent, missense
Nonsense, missense, silent
Silent, missense, nonsense
Missense, nonsense, silent
Nonsense, missense, silent
When a change results in an early stop codon, nonsense mutation occurs and the protein is done being read early, often resulting in a nonfunctional protein. When a base change results into a different amino acid, this is a missense mutation. When a base change occurs but results in the same amino acid being read, this is considered a silent mutation.
Example Question #2 : Protein Synthesis
Which of the following correctly describes the function of a signal sequence with respect to proteins?
Allows the protein or peptide to act as a signaling molecule by recognizing its associated receptor
Allows the protein to be recognized by the ubiquitination pathway for degradation
Transports proteins that are destined for the secretory pathway within cells
Serves as a signal for chaperone proteins to help fold the protein into the correct conformation
Marks the protein to be destined inside the nucleus
Transports proteins that are destined for the secretory pathway within cells
To answer this question, it's essential to have an understanding of what a signal sequence is.
A signal sequence (also sometimes called a signal peptide) is a specific sequence of amino acids on a polypeptide that appears near the beginning of translation. When this signal sequence is present, it causes a temporary halt in the translation process. Meanwhile, another protein called a signal recognition particle (SRP) comes along and binds to the ribosome that is translating the polypeptide. Together, this polypeptide-ribosome-SRP complex is transferred from the cytosol to the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Once there, the complex allows the polypeptide to resume synthesis, but in doing so, causes it to be synthesized into the inner lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Consequently, this polypeptide will go on to be modified within the ER and also the Golgi apparatus. Afterwards, it will be sent off within a vesicle, where is will either be A) secreted outside of the cell or B) incorporated into the endomembrane system of the cell (in other words, the peptide will be inserted into a membrane such as the plasma membrane, ER membrane, Golgi membrane, etc.). Lastly, it is the nuclear localization sequence (NLS) that, when added to a protein, allows it to enter the nucleus through the nuclear membrane.
Example Question #3 : Anabolic Pathways And Synthesis
Which of of the following are the termination signals for translation?
UAG, UAA, UTA
GUA, GAU, UAA
UAA, UGA, UAG
TUA, UAG, GAU
GUA, UAA, UAG
UAA, UGA, UAG
Just as there is an initiation codon regulating translation, there are termination codons that code for the end of translation. The three termination codons are UAA, UAG, and UGA.
A helpful mnemonic for these are the phrases:
You are annoying (UAA)
You are gross (UAG)
You go away (UGA)
Example Question #4 : Anabolic Pathways And Synthesis
What are some post-translational modifications collagen goes thru before attaining its final structure?
I. The precursor collagen molecule undergoes hydroxylation of selected proline and lysine amino acids.
II. The procollagen precursor is glycosylated by the addition of galactose and glucose.
III. Procollagen has amino and carboxy procollagen extension propeptides that make it soluble.
IV. Procollagen proteinases remove extension peptides from the ends of the molecule to form collagen.
I, II, III, and IV
I, III, and IV
I and II
I, II, and III
I and IV
I, II, III, and IV
Procollagen has amino and carboxy procollagen extension propeptides that make it soluble. The preprocollagen undergoes both hydroxylation and glycosylation at specific aminoacid residues to form procollagen. Once secreted extracellularly, proteinases remove the extension peptides from procollagen to form the final collagen molecule.
Example Question #1142 : Biochemistry
Which of the following enzyme cofactors transfer methyl groups?
B12 cobalamin, S-adenylosyl methionine, tetrahydrofolate, biotin
S-adenylosyl methionine, tetrahydrofolate
B12 cobalamin, S-adenylosyl methionine, tetrahydrofolate
Tetrahydrofolate, biotin
B12 cobalamin, S-adenylosyl methionine, tetrahydrofolate
Biotin moves carboxyl groups in the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Tetrahydrofolate and S-adenylosyl methionine move methyl groups in amino acid synthesis and post-translational modifications such as DNA methylation. B12 cobalamin is a cofactor in the reactions producing succinyl-CoA and methionine, where it transfers methyl groups to complete the products.